Women Empowerment: Stories from Patna’s Women-Only Post Office

Women around the world are showing strength across diverse sectors, excelling both at home and in their professional endeavors. Today’s commemoration of World Post Day brings to light the stories of women working in the all-women post office in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) campus in Patna. Each of these women has a tale of resilience and determination to tell.

Alka Yagnik, a pivotal member of the team, joined after the tragic passing of her husband. Recalling her husband, Alka says, “I didn’t get to know him very well, as we spent only six months together before his illness. But every time I remember him, I sing the song he used to sing, and in that, I feel his presence.”

Alka, originally from Jehanabad, moved to Patna after her marriage. Her husband’s sudden illness and subsequent death left her alone to fend for their young son. Reflecting on the challenge, she notes how her life became a series of difficult choices with her being the sole parent and caregiver. “The absence of a father in my son’s life is something I try to fill with my dual role at home,” she shares.

Balancing work and home duties is no small feat for Alka. Her routine involves managing household responsibilities, ensuring her son attends school, and fulfilling her job duties at the post office. As her child is still young, Alka even takes him to work to keep him supervised.

The journey to her current position was not a direct path. Dreaming of an MBA, her life’s circumstances led her through Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Commerce and Education instead. Her role at the post office involves meticulous work in parcel packing and date-stamping documents, filling in for a staff member on extended leave.

Reena Devi, another employee, draws inspiration from her father-in-law, a veteran in the postal service. Having begun her career in the year 2000, she experienced a time when women were scarcely present in the workforce. Today, however, she takes pride in being part of the push for women’s representation in fields traditionally dominated by men. She emphasizes her satisfaction working at the women-oriented post office.

The establishment of the women-only post office is a strategic step towards gender inclusivity within the postal department, highlighting the shifting societal norms where women carving out spaces and showing capability is increasingly the norm.